Justice News

New York Man Sentenced to Prison for Violent Hobbs Act Robberies of Two St. Thomas Jewelry Stores and Related Gun Charges

St. Thomas, USVI – On May 3, 2018, District Court Judge Curtis V. Gomez sentenced Jakeem Emmanuel, 21, to 8 years and 6 months imprisonment and five years of supervised release, for Hobbs Act Robbery and related gun charges, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced. Judge Gomez also ordered Emmanuel to perform 400 hours of community service and pay a special assessment of $300.

On August 10, 2016, Emmanuel pleaded guilty to two counts of Hobbs Act Robbery, one count of Brandishing a Firearm during a Federal Crime of Violence, and Assault in the First Degree.

On March 3, 2016, a federal grand jury returned an 8-count indictment, which was a result of an investigation into Hobbs Act robberies of two jewelry stores on St. Thomas: Signature Jewelers on August 19, 2015, and 3G’s Jewelry and Repair on September 14, 2015. According to the Indictment, Emmanuel and other individuals conspired to rob the stores and brandished weapons to threaten and intimidate store employees. The robbers used duct tape to bind and gag the victims and then fled the store with cash and merchandise.

This case is a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Virgin Islands Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anna A. Vlasova.

The Elder Justice Program stems from the DOJ Elder Justice Initiative (EJI) to prevent and combat financial fraud and scams that target seniors, elder abuse, and neglect. The mission of the EJI is to strengthen awareness about elder abuse and financial exploitation through education, build law enforcement capacity to respond to elder justice issues, and facilitate prosecution efforts to make our community safer for all.